n department?"

"I suppose what I did might be termed that, tho I wasn't intending to be
meddlesome, Mr. Jerrard."

"Nothing in general instructions, was there, to lead a cub assistant in
the engineering corps to revise a boarding house bill of fare?"

"No, sir."

"I find it further mentioned that you were back next day and herded
about seventy-five Italians into a victualling camp as you would drive
steers to a fodder rack. Don't you know that we reserve that sort of
business for a squad of police?"

"Mr. Jerrard," said the young man, recovering some of his
self-possession tho his tone was apologetic, "since I have been on the
road I saw what happened once when the police came with their clubs and
revolvers. There was a free fight and two men were killed. I thought
I saw a chance for one man to arbitrate a little difficulty--and
arbitration is pretty highly recommended in these days by good
authorities. When I found that arbitration didn't make things stay put
I meddled once more in order to undo my first mistake--if we may call
it that. It probably was a mistake, looked at officially. But you see--"
his voice faltered a little, for the manager was surveying him with
rather a hard look in his eyes, "I hoped that putting the padrone into
line on his food question would prevent a strike; when I drove the men
to table I had only the interests of the road at heart, for the strike
was then fairly on."

"Well," said the manager, a bit of a smile at the corners of his mouth,
"you certainly were not thinking very hard of your own interests when
you went into that rabid gang."

"I can see that I made a botch of it generally, Mr. Jerrard. I will save
you the trouble of requesting my resignation."

But as he bowed and turned Jerrard spoke sharply.

"Not so fast, young man," he said. "As the executive of the P. K. & R,
system it wouldn't be exactly official and proper in me to approve your
judgment in that matter of the Italians; but as a man--plain man, now,
you understand,--I know grit when I see it and--" he dropped his bluff
stiffness got out of his chair and came along and squeezed Parker's
muscular arm, "you've got a brand of it that I admire. Yes, I do. No
mistake! But that is just between you and me. That is simply my own
personal opinion. I don't believe the directors relish the idea of
gladiators in the engineering corps. Just respect this little private
hint of mine hereafter please."

He surveyed the young